Frozen Armor
by iceberg60
Summary: An ambush leaves Inuyasha with a tricky poison running through his system, and without any other choice, is left with Kouga. The two boys time alone together sparks both feelings and danger, and the boundaries they can't cross heatedly blur overnight.
1. Defenseless

A/n

So another story has inched it's way to life! While it's not my main story, which will be significantly longer then most of my other writings here, this piece will be under my care and attention as much as the other will.

As always, Lady cash deserves a shout out, for being both a wonderful friend and reviewer! Also for her patience as I continue with my other projects. As a side note - This year will be extremely busy, but I will update as my muse allows, but if I forget, feel to give me a kick in the right direction. I feel overly human at all the wrong times =)

Frozen Armor

Chapter 1: Defenseless

The heat was uncommon in the dusty, mid-morning air, yet they continued to move. Sweat dripped off his arms and fell low on his brow, his grip low on the sword. His eyes swerved left then right, motions circling at each corner of his eyes and goading him to move Tetsusaiga. His arms slowed in protest, the sting of exhertion biting into him. His feet shirked under the weight, his back glistening with a sheet of new sweat. There were ghostly smiles as the circle took note of his slowed limbs, his rapid heartbeat. He was losing strength.

How many more of them could he take? He took a ragged breath, shifting his grip as the onlookers gestured quickly toward one another. He grimaced. He could feel Tetsusaigas' power begin to fail within the metal, and his swing would only go out to arms length with the energy he had. Dust picked up as he scurried his feet, scaring one who was about to get close, falling back into the cirlce. His shoulder was on fire, as the gash continued to bleed out onto his robe, dampening the upper half. His head felt faint, his mouth dry with anticipation. His tongue swept out to make them wet, a decidedly slow movement. He couldn't believe his amount of luck, or rather lack of at that moment, as he scanned the crowd for a familiar face.

The demon took his chance.

Suddenly from the half demon's left, a pair of claws raked down from the center of the crowd. He had enough time to throw up his sword, as the sharpened claws went against the metal with a grating sound. He pushed the oppresor back, making a wild swing from the waist, knowing it would miss. The demon smiled, ducking under it, and using the chance to spring forward. Dust sprung up, as Inuyasha struggled to see the origin of attack. He gasped as he felt a slash at his waist, marring the beautiful skin at the small of his back.

He screamed, kicking back with his heel, only to find no one there. "You truly are the _little _brother," the voice purred. "Aren't you?" It was impossible to tell in the cloud of dust, but he was certain his attacker was smiling. Inuyasha readied his sword, his sweat covering most of the handle.

Inuyasha couldn't help but grin. He had been verbally abused too much in his childhood to have it mean anything coming from a stranger. His tongue moved over his lips. "The little brother with the bigger weapon."

There was a laugh, somewhere outside his field of vision. "Compensating for something?" There was a swirl of dust that he could tell meant movement.

Out of instinct, he dug his sword hand in, under his shoulder, and shot out towards a sliver of movement on the right. There was gurgle of surprise, as the demon was caught on the blade, the sound of impalement sweet on his ears. The dust seemed to swirl all around him for a second, and he gave a chuckle. "Just a little blood my brother's got."

His ears flickered as the whole half circle behind moved to attack. His legs quivered as he took a step to the side, and swung Tetsusaiga, full force, to his flank. The demons screamed with fright, their eyes wide with terror, trying to stop short of the metal's radius. The single arc cut through them like sandpaper, and swept with enough momentum that the swing brought Inuyasha looking forward again, eyes scanning over the remaining attackers. They still had numbers, but they looked a smidge less confident with their leader still stuck on the half demons blade. Purple blood trickled onto the ground, like a silent warning to all of them.

Their lips curled upward, revealing fangs that glinted under the intense sunlight. They were deathly sharp. Inuyasha's face glowered, his muscles wildly beginning to pump more blood then they should. How had they let this happen? He glanced in both directions, unsure of their next move. He wasn't managing well on his own. "Kagome!"

His nose wriggled as a sharp, thin sound entered the air. A purified arrow, intensely focused, flew through the remaining semi-circle of demons around him. He looked over for a moment, where the arrow had left it's path, and saw Kagome standing amongst her own circle of demons on the opposite side of the dirt road. "Here!" She screamed, the demons quickly filling the gap of the circle. The half demon drew up his sword and sped toward the group, quickly regaining speed.

He heard a struggle on the other side of the circle where he knew she had shot through. There was a burst of light, and smell of purified demon grew stronger. "I could use some help though!"

Suddenly invigorated, he raked his bloody claws across the band of youkai, forcing them to disband the circle, and face them both. He quickly gained twelve demons attention, each with velvety, glowing eyes. Sweat dripped down his back, his chest ready to burst out of pain. His eyes were wild with the intense sun.

"I need some assistance!" Miroku's voice shot out through the crowds, stopping Inuyasha mid-swing. Two pairs of sharp claws met him on both sides, tearing away the cloth near his chest. He coughed, suddenly unable to breath. His shoulder bled too fast at the open wound, and he was truly beginning to feel the effects. He took in a surprising breath, and parried a demon that lunged from his left. He twisted full circle and felt his arms go weak from the pressure of the sword. There was a sting in his right bicep, the muscle throbbing uncontrollably against his blood soaked robe, which he knew meant he was reaching his limits. More of them seemed to appear, and his eyes were quickly coming up with the realization he already knew to be true.

They were getting swarmed.

The caravan was somewhere down the road, yet he felt the panic in his throat that the children would peek out from their hiding spots. His head was swimming with the loss of blood, and his eyes watered. He wiped his hands quickly on his lower hakama to rid himself of sweat, and was sharply attacked from the front. He sidestepped the female, and took Tetsusaiga's hilt, still dripping with purple blood, and held it close to his chest, the way he had seen Sesshoumaru do with a katana when they were younger. He could feel the heat of his hand through the shirt, and watched as two demons disappear into the dust on the right, while two replacements emerged on the left.

Kagome let out a yelp of surprise, and Inuyasha took the distraction. With a single hand, he made a clean cut across the predators to the front slicing them in half. His eyes caught something to his lower right, and leapt backwards as something pounced. He caught himself on both feet, shifted the weight to his right foot, and swept the blade upwards. The demon crashed down away from him, one arm dismembered, and bleeding. He gave a smug grin to the thing on the ground.

He was brought to the ground by a claw suddenly at his throat. A small, but a forceful hand pulled down from the back of his neck, slamming his head into the unforgiving ground. His vision was swimming, as he heard screams around him. "Inuyasha, no!" He tried to move his arm, but his shoulder wouldn't give way. The muscles refused to move and his head couldn't process the situation fast enough. There was a sly smile as the demon above slowly moved above him.

It shifted it's head. "Not very big, are you?" Inuyasha gritted his teeth, as the smiling face bent down to him, nodding it's head to the left. A second figure appeared on the left, but only appeared to be watching. The smiling figure drew something from it's side and teetered on a decision. Inuyasha winced. The figured leaned over, gently. "I'll make sure to grant you a good death."

It moved too quickly to see. Inuyasha cried out. He didn't even watch as the demon drew her knife from his chest, and proceeded to tuck it away, as a burning agony exploded somewhere in his ribcage. It was such a rapid pain it had already spread to his neck. He didn't think he was breathing. The two figures tilted their heads, full of doubt. "Does it happen fast?"

Hiraikotsu sailed through the air, and whipped into them from behind, stunning them long enough for Sango to attack their backs. She moved quickly and effortlessly through her motions, and performed each action as if she knew what the opponent was thinking. The demons fell out of his vision, and only Sango remained. She dropped everything and cradled the half demon, looking at his wounds. His sight was half red, and couldn't feel Sango's delicate touches. She wasn't making a happy face.

"Kagome!" The demon slayer fumbled with her mask, undoubtedly nervous. Not good. "_Kagome!_" she repeated, suddenly going out of focus. His vision completely failed him, and for a moment he could feel the sweat all over him. And then shortly after, he couldn't feel anything at all.

He smelled water as he woke up. His head throbbed unpleasantly, pounding hard enough to make all his other senses unusable. Aside from his head, he didn't feel anything too bad - no broken bones of any kind, no missing limbs. He growled, fighting for conciousness, tryinging to move his head side to side. He could feel the dried sweat on every inch of his body, the strained muscle in his right leg tensed as he used it, flexing. His arm was still devoid of any strength, and his thoughts wandered to Tetsusaiga for a moment. Maybe they left it on the road, he thought. He frowned at this idea, pushing it away from his mind. He opened his eyes, experimentally.

The room spinned, and his vision was blurry, but it stopped after only a few moments. He scanned the area, supporting the weight on his badly bruised elbows - he had injured them days before the ambush - and scoffed as he realized his upper robing was gone. The white shirt was still stained with an ungodly amount of blood, and his shoulder was stitched up and healing. He put the material between his fingers and squeezed. Dry. He had been asleep for more then just a few hours.

Where were his teammates? Was he in captivity, or in recuperation? And where was the caravan? He twisted his head to one side, unsure of the appropriate action to take.

His surroundings were the most curious, and he felt suspicion hurling in. He saw the outline of a dank and dark cave, aside from a make-shift fire that blazed near his knees.A shadow sat near the mouth of the tunnel, looking out at what appeared to be stars.

Inuyasha kept his frown, but made an effort to collect his voice. He paused, preparing himself for any possibility. "Kagome?"

There was spark of surprise as the figure turned around, and immediately moved towards him. He held a claw in the air as precaution, but the figure didn't slow in speed. He twitched his nose, suddenly anxious, but stopped moving as she came into the light.

"Inuyasha!" She held a smile in place, standing rigid as she walked into view. He noted the way her fingers wound around one another, customary for when she was feeling nervous, and the stray strands of hair that fell at her cheeks. He had been traveling with the girl for a few weeks since her last trip home, but she seemed dramatically different as she shifted her eyes to the ground.

Her face was paler, and had a uneven flush running over her cheeks. Her eyes twinkled with lack of sleep, and the dark patches under her eyes seemed to add to this. Her school uniform was tattered, and had two noticeable rips at each shoulder, that fluttered unnoticed beside her. She carried herself as a tired, but confident girl, but there was a fragility in her smile, ready to crack at any time.

"You're awake," she breathed quietly, bunching her sleeves at her elbows. There was a relief in her posture. "We were worried you weren't going to come out of it."

She kneeled down, spreading his blanket out further, over his feet, and below his heels. "I can't let you catch a cold," she murmered, her petite hands sliding over the soft fabric, and finally settling at her side. Inuyasha sat up, tossing most of it near his lap.

He narrowed his eyes, his hands meeting with the cold stone floor, while trying to think. The right words escaped him, but he moved his mouth to talk anyways. "Kagome," his voice was squeaky and unused. "What happened?"

She bit her lip, the air thick with all the things she could say. She made a move forward, catching him an unexpected hug and burying her nose into the crook of his neck. "I'm so sorry," she said, stroking his back gently. She took a hitched breath, shaking her head of any tears. "We almost didn't get to you time."

Inuyasha sighed, placing a hand on her shoulder and squeezing. She was shaking in his arms, and the guilt spilled over him. "It's fine, it could have happened to either us." He shifted his feet uncomfortably. "Better it was me then someone who couldn't survive the blow."

There was pause in the air, as if she was tempted to disagree, but she pushed back softly putting a hand over her chest. "It was terrible."

He waved a hand. "Hey, I'm fine now, really." He reached down, knocking some pebbles away with his fingers, while studying the face of his teammate for what seemed like the first time in a week. She hadn't been eating as much as she should have been, most likely out of worry. He put a hand to his face, knowing his curiousity needed to be satisfied. "Tell me what happened."

She glanced away quickly, moving her hands to her skirt, and pulling it down slightly. "I'm not sure where the proper point is to start, really." She moved her hand in circles, her eyes suddenly dreamy and unattentive. She stared into the flames. "I guess it may have been-"

"Tell me about the attack."

She quivered under her uniform, as the storm outside started to brew. "They knew we were coming. They came in large numbers just to overpower us." Her gaze swept across the stone walls, seemingly with purpose. "From what we've gathered they'd been planning this for months." Her lips looked cold in the dim lighting, and she pronounced each word as if she had already been thinking over the event for some time.

"Do we know their reason for attack?"

"There's nothing that says for sure. They could be with Naraku, or more likely they could have been after the jewel shards." She scratched at a nail, leaning on the hand after she was finished inspecting it. "They might have even been after the caravan."

He took this into consideration with brooding eyes. "Do you think Trivolio isn't telling us something?"

She shook her head, unconviced. There was hesitation in her answer though. "No... everyone in the caravan didn't even get touched by the attack," she said aloud. "Shippou included."

Inuyasha sank back. The group had met a man named Trivolio, a man from the west, fourteen days ago while passing through Mayun. The man was a barterer, traveling across the country to bear his goods, and had two young daughters - Aran and Erufn - that traveled with him in his caravan. They had lost their guard coming to the city in a raid, and had no one to escort them to their next destination. Kagome couldn't leave the man in good conscience, and had done her best to persuade Inuyasha to reason. The man had information on a jewel shard that he'd seen in another city, and agreed to share it if they would provide an escort.

Inuyasha had groaned, slapping his hands to his face. He hated inconvenience.

Kagome shrugged non-commitedly, adding to fill the silence in the air. "They were terrified, but other wise, ignored by the demons." She moved a hand to her chin, thinking. "More proof that the ambush was staged for us, not them." She looked back up at him, and sighed. Further complications outside of Naraku these days were nerve racking. "I think we should be worried about this."

"Naraku's got his fingers all over this," he replied curtly.

There was a mystified look in her eyes as she mumbled to herself. "It doesn't sound like him," she whispered, leaning towards the fire to revel in the warmth. She looked at him with fervor. "But if there's someone else, we could be in serious danger."

The half demon scoffed, setting the notion aside. He was firmly conviced that her and the kit worried more then was necessary. "Did anyone actually get hurt?"

"Sango has a few cuts and scrapes, and Kirara has a large cut on her thigh, but it didn't affect her flight with you here." She jabbed her finger towards the exit. "Miroku sprained an ankle, and Sango volunteered to help with the wound, though she's going to want to hear about your waking up when I get to her. The caravan's parked out side."

She hugged her knees, for a moment, trying to warm herself as well. She appeared quiet. "They knew about Sesshoumaru..." she picked out, trying to helpful. She paused, glancing up at Inuyasha. He didn't appear amused. "But who doesn't in Japan, I guess."

Inuyasha picked up a stone and carelessly tossed it forward. Kagome's eyes followed as it tumbled out helplessly to the rain. He turned away, sullen. "Atleast we survived."

"Barely," she whispered, moving a lock of hair behind her ear. The ebony wisps seemed sleek in the dark, her face framed with a concerned look, while looking at the half demons clothes. He muttered something while looking down at the blood stained shirt.

"I'm surprised the rain didn't rinse this out," he murmered, throwing his arm over his opposite shoulder, and stretching.

Kagome didn't miss a beat. "It wasn't raining when we brought you here."

The conversation was finally coming to a head, as Inuyasha's ears wriggled with curiosity. He stretched his other arm. "And where exactly is _here?_"

Kagome let out a breath, before suddenly turning around. Near the entranced, a shadow had appeared unnoticed, filled with the sent of demon. It took a stubborn step forward, looking for a reaction. There was a half a second of panic before the half demon sprung up in his blankets, claws drawn out like a pair of knives. "Kagome, get behind me."

She scurried back in confusion, before gasping and putting a hand on his arm. "Wait Inuyasha," she pleaded, lowering his claws. He choked out a hot breath, sending a murderous glance towards the figure. Kagome shook her head feverishly. "That's not a demon, it's-"

Inuyasha gave a blank stare, his feet shuffling along the blankets to steady himself, as he met with surprise. The tail gave the game away far too quickly. The half demon glared quickly at the intruder. Then at Kagome. "Why is Kouga here?" His voice was steady and harsh.

The wolf demon sighed and walked further into the room, like a cautious predator. Inuyasha stared.

It may been the arrogance, or the cocky looks. It may have been the way he was a show off, or how he would run away with his tail between his legs whenever they encountered Naraku. It might have been how he continually attempted to sway Kagome's with his looks, smile, and pledges of devotion; but there were many reason why he probably felt towards Kouga the Wolf demon, the way he did. All of them not pleasent. He hardened his jaw with a growl.

It had only been a month since the wolf demons' last visit, but he had the sense he had gotten even stronger since then. Kouga had warm furs strapped at his waist and shoulder, metal armor covering his chest. His stride was even, his chest stuck out with confidence. His legs were sleek with rain, and dripped slowly along the crevasses of the stone floor. Every inch of his heated skin was tanned, and gave off a rich glow from the fire. His black hair was set in down in a laguid ponytail that reminded Inuyasha of his own hair. But his eyes were unnaturally deep and blue. They looked trusting.

His smile said the opposite.

Kagome reached out with a hand, slightly hurt. She looked between the males with nervousness. "The wolf dens were nearby when we were attacked. We had to find dry shelter before the storm struck." Thunder rocked the outside sky as the tempest began to swing at it's wildest.

She glanced thankfully to Kouga, who strode confidently into the light, but showed no smile. His intense blue eyes crossed the half demon with partial interest for a moment. As Inuyasha returned the look, the wolf broke the contact silently. He had an annoyingly strong presence that would usually threaten him, but not today. The devilish smile was absent as he leaned against the wall. His face remained stoic as he took in his rival, surveying the wounds from afar. The half demon yanked the blanket even higher.

He wasn't unreasonable, but he didn't feel like giving Kouga any appreciations. The night was already dragging on too long, and he was feeling ready to leave. "Let's get going then, Kagome." He made a move to get up, but he didn't get halfway before he was pushed back down by both of them. He glared suspiciously, face turned both ways. "What the hell?"

The wolf sank leisurely against the wall, while Kagome spoke up to catch his attention. The rain fell hard on the outside. "Don't you remember? One of the leaders of the ambush, a female, poisoned you personally before we drove them off." She gestured at the large gap in the front of his shirt, still red and sticky from the crust of dried blood. She continued. "Sango bashed her up a bit, but she and another were able to get away alive. Sango has been trying to identify the nature of the poison for days now, but we've only come up with a few results."

Days? He had been here for days? The wounds in his body could not have been so deep.

Kagome pressed a small hand to Kouga, as if in sign to back off a bit. The touch made Inuyasha growl in turn. Had he been asleep long enough that they had been talking without him? Maybe Kouga had already tried to court her again with him there to push the wolf away. His fingers twitched like a calculating, vicious animal.

The pair turned towards him. Kouga kicked the ground, and rubbed his arms from the cold, still too scrawny to probably keep warm for more then an hour outside. Inuyasha felt his right leg tense up again, but resisted the urge to stretch it. Kagome gazed at both of them, and kept twirling a dark strand of hair around her finger while she spoke. "This is the part I don't think you'll like very much."

Inuyasha spat on the cave wall, arms outstretched as if to get up. Kagome sent him a look, as if to warn him, 'don't even think about it,' before sighing deeply into her lap. "The poison can only pass through your system if your body doesn't move around much. It'll take a few days to pass fully, and you'll need the rest to recover from it." She put a shaky hand on his knee as comfort. "We don't know enough about the poison for you to try and brush it off on your own. While we take the caravan to the city, we're going to need you stay here."

Rain trickled on the rim of the entrance, while the smell of wet spring sifted through the cave. His earls pulled back in shock. "What?" An utter, piercing silence erupted between them, as he looked at them both sporadically, but there wasn't any smiles or jokes. There were the mirthless, sympathetic faces that shown in the glitter of the fire. He aimed towards Kagome, as Kouga was an unwelcome presence. "Tell me you're kidding."

She shook her head, her hair bouncing. The waves seemed more curly in the dark, as she sniffled. "Trivolio has to make to it to the market in three days, or his stock will go bad. You can't come along with us if it will only make things worse for you." She smiled sadly. "I'm sorry."

Inuyasha shook his head, rejecting. "No, I'll heal up on my own! Hell if I need rest like the rest of you."

"Stop!" She replied, wagging a finger in jest. The rips in her uniform moved in the wind, as if motioning to go outside. "The constant travel will only stimulate the poison, and send you back into paralysis. I'm sorry Inuyasha, but I'm going to have to leave you here."

She stood up silently, her legs wobbled underneath her. She frowned, knowing she probably needed to eat something for the night, while Inuyasha turned his head. He spoke at Kouga for the first time today, his eyes heated from weeks of practice. "And you're ok with me just staying here?"

The wolf didn't respond for a second, until he snapped his fingers, and smiled. Their eyes locked genuinely for the first time in a month, as their attention fell soley on each other. Inuyasha felt a chill. "Any favors of Kagome's is always worth my time." He winked at her in kind, but his response had seemed automatic. His narrowed eyes showed his mind was in another place entirely. He barely shifted his place on the wall.

The two spoke in soft tones and prepared to leave, the warmth of the cave suddenly dimming down in degrees.

The half demon yelled out, pleading. "Hold on! Isn't this a bit rash? You can't leave me here with a guy that's tried to kill me every time I see him!"

The pale girl turned back slightly, her sleeves pushed out towards the storm. She smiled gently once, and gave him a solitary wave. "He'll take care of you, promise. We'll only be gone three days," she started, with a glance to the roaring night. She moved to leave and angled over her shoulder. "Don't try to come after us, or something worse then just a sit will be here for you." The playful threath hung in the air, belying the seriousness she had meant. She whispered, "Good bye."

She meandered out of sight, into the cold, twisting storm. The cave was quiet with the sound of a fire, and rain, and echoed all the thunder claps outside. Kouga stood near to the entrance too, arms crossed, and frozen in a questioning face. Inuyasha lifted his head silently, his arms laid around him in disappointment.

Kouga spared a look. "Hey, cheer up mutt face." He lowered an eyebrow as the dog suddenly leaned back to go to sleep, marking his cue to leave.

He let out a breath as tension rose, looking at the docile, relaxed form of his rival, strewn over his blankets. The wolf took a step forward, but whispered and turned around. He retreated almost immediately with heavy footsteps, throwing a, "I'll see you in the morning!" over his shoulders.

Inuyasha huddled further into his blankets, pinching the fabric with a pointed claw. Disbelief spread all over him. He had gone through abandonment as a child and recognized the feeling as it crept in, wetting his fingertips. It was like a betrayal, a sadness that wouldn't easily let go. He knew they would come back. He knew it was for good reason that they were leaving. But the ache in his stomach refused to let him alone.

He cluctched his purple beads, wrapping his fist around the small rosary. His lips moved gently. "Kagome?"

He could feel the tears form as his tiny, golden eyes shut to sleep.

A/n

Well, what did you think of it? All future chapters will have similiar lengths, but Kouga will be much for a star character lol.

Anyways, please review!


	2. Intensity

Frozen Armor

Chapter 2: Intensity

The pain slammed into the back of his head, like a constant thread of venom behind his eyes. Swirling blacks and greens clouded the air, and he could feel her nails scraping against the white of his wrists. He was undoubtedly pinned, and doubly so, as she could cut the thin veins running underneath her grip. He had never had the experience of being thrown against a wall, and held in place by force of a woman, yet he couldn't feel any speck of surprise inside of him.

She hissed. "_WHERE _isit?"

Inuyasha struggled against her grip, the pulsing, dark colors making him dizzy and confused. He couldn't see straight. "I don't know what the hell you're talking about!"

She kneed him sharply in the groin, knocking his breath away from him. He bent in pain, coughing, grappling with the undeniable urge to vomit. He twitched a few times while she slipped a hand to grab his face, and the sound of metal rang, obviously the sound of her extravagant earrings. They tinkled like wind chimes. "No _games _mixed-breed," she whispered. She twisted his neck to the side, frustrated.

He hadn't felt this helpless since Sesshoumaru had taken the pearl from his eye, and his arms twitched nervously. His mind was starting to finally adjust to the situation, yet the colors seemed to fade more and more. The woman, although so close, was impossible for him to see. "You think I actually have something to hide?" he asked slyly, a touch of amusement on each corner of his mouth. He flicked his wrists to see if they'd budge. They wouldn't.

She cut a thin stripe on his hand as he struggled, desperate to get free. She seemed to admire his tenacity, from her place in the pulsating darkness. He imagined she was hovering close, examining the work of her brutality. She murmured, "Don't we all?"

She thrust his head against the wall, but he didn't make a sound. There was an empty, thick pain as he felt cold fingers of numbness spread across his torso. He grimaced in reaction, and the room spun wildly around him. Whether he was suffering from a concussion or delirium was swiftly fading from his mind. The room twisted beyond his vision, as if the wall was the only place that existed.

The woman had an interesting accent that melted through the throbbing colors, and he had the feeling it was foreign. He could sense her tilting her head, with the strange jangle of earrings following it. "You fumble with the little strength you possess. You do not realize you have already lost." She placed a fingernail to his throat, silencing him abruptly. "I won't ask again."

She lowered her face, still silhouetted in the dark. Inuyasha swallowed fiercely as she brought her face next to his, pressing her cold, venomous lips to his ear, smiling. "Where _IS _it?"

Fingers were suddenly all over his robes, trying to scrape, claw, tear away at his clothes. A hand flung itself towards his beads, trying to rip them off. He swatted one away, trying to slice at the numbers, but quickly realizing he was losing. They began grabbing him, all of them suddenly flung across his hakama. They grabbed his face and forced his eyes shut. Fingers, fingers, suddenly on every crevasse of his body. He couldn't scream.

"Inuyasha!"

He sat up quickly, hitting his head against the rocky side wall. He yelled out. "Agh, Damn it!"

The blood flowed quickly from the new wound, slipping over the strands of white hair. He could feel the red liquid trickle onto his fingertips. His feet lay spread apart, sprawled along the blankets. The disheveled pile was pushed mostly to the side, and lay strewn over one leg near the cave wall. He grabbed at the bottom of his shirt, all the more realizing how much blood he was losing. He had suffered enough head and torso injuries that he had learned how to suppress the bleeding, but he was quickly getting foggy headed. He ripped a strip from the bottom half and forced himself to make the knot. If he continued to bleed out, he knew he would lose consciousness within minutes.

There was the small patter of footsteps as he continued to fumble with the knot, not doing one of the strands correctly. His hands were shaking as he was coming to the conclusion he refused to admit. He was doing it wrong. "I... I can't..."

There was a breath of surprise from what seemed out of nowhere. "Inuyasha!" There was only a second to register before a small set of paws jumped onto his lap and forced Inuyasha to lock eyes. They were green. He garbled, "Shippou?"

A small set of hands suddenly took over the work with the knot, and he felt his hands fall weakly to the sides. He hadn't realized he was getting so drained. There was wetness on his back that told him the blood had continued to flow despite the strip. Shippou was at work doing something on his head, but he couldn't remember what other steps he needed to take for his injury. _Was it inclined…? Declined..? _He shook his head.

Shippou's hands came to a stop, dexterously moving to prop up his chin. "Inuyasha, count to ten." The demand was short, and Inuyasha could do nothing but comply. He blinked numerously. "One, two..." He grunted. "Sorry, I meant three."

Shippou shook his head, his orange hair bouncing wildly. His green bow seemed a bit lower today, as if he had dressed in a hurry, but he otherwise seemed recently bathed and combed. He couldn't help but feel it was odd. The fox sank back, suddenly devoid of worry. "You're eyes look a bit clouded, but you're going to be fine. If it were anyone but a half-demon, I might have been worried." He sat towards the opposite side of the wall, with the hint of exhaustion.

Inuyasha leaned similarly against the smooth surface. He let out a breath, as his mind worked on overtime. Dreams had never visited him so vividly before, and he had still felt the fingers wrapped around him even as he woken up. He hadn't been having any dreams lately, which only provoked more questions as to what had caused his nightmare. He raised his hand to scratch his head, but he could feel the bleeding was nearly stopping. He lowered it once more. It had only been a dream, yet it was like he could still hear the horrible woman's voice. He grimaced at the pain of the wound above his temple. His life lately was nightmare after nightmare.

"You dreaming over there?" Shippou put both hands on his knees, leaning forward.

Inuyasha turned slightly, not wishing to abuse the healing gash. He gazed at Shippou with heavy eyes, dazed and less spiteful than usual. "No, not anymore." He lowered his head, but he still felt lightheaded, swooning at the smallest of movement. "What are you doing here Shippou?"

Shippou blinked. "Other than saving your life? I came to get you before the group leaves." The half demon sighed, but the kit squinted his eyes. Shippou was still leaning forward, interested. "Don't you want to say goodbye?"

There was another long pause, as the morning breeze trickled coldly into the cave. Honey suckle and water pervaded the air, and Inuyasha got the sense that somewhere lower in the valley, there might be mist. The rain was still freshly falling outside. He felt the damp, uninviting feeling that seemed to emanate from the outside, and he clutched at his white shirt, trying to keep warm. He didn't feel as if this were the proper condition to say goodbye to the group, but the intense green stare told him he had little choice. He nodded. "I guess I should, yeah."

He had forgotten all about the situation due to his vivid nightmare, followed by nearly bleeding out upon waking up. As he began to calm down, he squeezed his hands together, and locked them tight. The whole prior day was coming back to him.

He felt angry, but it was merely a veil for the sadness. It was too surreal. "I can't believe they're gonna leave me here," he whispered to himself, his cold breath brushing past his shoulder. He was the strongest of all of them, why didn't she trust that he could heal the poison on his own?

Shippou lowered his gaze to the floor as if realizing the severity of the moment. He was quiet. "It's for your health, you know. If _Sango_ can't identify the poison, then you have to trust you could be in serious danger. It's best not to tempt fate."

The half demon sprawled out over the blankets, sleepy from the lack of blood. His white shirt was still partially drenched with blood, but it had only gone down half-way. He could feel it was damp, as he pressed his nose into the soft, velvety quilts. Never had he felt so foolish. Only Miroku was stupid enough to bring injury upon himself, usually from lack of fore-sight. He would have to ask Shippou to not bring this up in the future. He wasn't familiar with sleeping in the wolf caves.

The cave was narrow enough that two people could walk in side by side together, while it was tall enough just enough to stand. The fire had gone out a long time ago and the cave was still slightly dark deeper inside. As he lay, he almost he wished he could back to sleep. He blinked once. _Not if that crazy woman is waiting for me._

He opened his eyes as he heard Shippou stand. The kit turned resolutely towards the cave entrance, his hair swaying lightly in the breeze. Inuyasha sat up quietly, still brushing his hands over the blankets. He looked over asking, "You're going outside then?"

Shippou peered over, curious. His eyes were puzzled. "Aren't you?"

Inuyasha grunted, not wanting to stand, but doing so anyway. He brought himself to his feet, not trusting himself to stand fully, as he wobbled slightly upon his first try. He leaned a shoulder against the cave wall, evoking some dust to rise from the floor. He stared down at the little fox after having moved a small ways. He didn't feel in the mood to say goodbyes, but he nodded his head in the direction of the entrance. "Lead the way, runt."

It was only a moment that the green eyes remained locked on him, before he scampered forward, eager to get outside. Inuyasha was led groggily to the mouth of the cave, the slightly wary fox looking back as he took so long. It was only a five second walk to the sleeping area, but Inuyasha nearly tripped once over his own feet. He gradually felt more steady.

They gazed out into the drizzle, and held their grip on the rock wall that supported the entry way. Inuyasha looked ahead, only now able to look out at where he had been brought. He saw the vast crags of rock that spanned into the horizon both left and right, and tried to see the wolf caves, but they were hidden behind the vast trees that encircled his dwelling. This cave, unlike the others had been set near the base of the mountain, and was virtually on its own. The circle of trees near the entrance also shielded him from any prying eyes, making it so no one could see the cave or anything outside it.

Shippou glanced over, putting a small paw out to cup the rain and turning a childish smile in the hanyou's direction. "You ready, Inuyasha?"

The half demon looked down, and scoffed. "Move it, Shippou."

Shippou rolled his eyes and calmly walked out, his hands by his sides. There was a smooth transition from stone to grass as they stepped away from the cave. The ground was damp as the rain continued to patter the ground, wetting the mountain behind them. Inuyasha stepped carefully over the grass as he looked ahead, trying to see the through the trees. This small clearing had the benefit of privacy, yet didn't have a view of anything besides these tall, gargantuan eye shields.

Shippou's gaze swept over the green expanse. His clothes started collecting rain, and there was a tenseness as he continued to look forward. "I imagine it's nearly time," he professed, squeezing his fingers together. He stopped and pointed through a gap in the trees, slightly to the right. "There should be an open field over there where the group is getting ready." His eyes turned back onto the shadows of the trees. He tightened one of his small fists.

Inuyasha nodded his head a bit, confused. He shuffled uncomfortably in the soft grass. "You're comin', right?"

The fox kit shook his head, unfazed. "I have to take care of some business before we leave." He turned bright eyes on the half demon, as he gestured in the same direction as before. He smiled. "But you can go on ahead."

Inuyasha scoffed loudly. His arms were folded, and his hand was able to feel the blood spread across his upper shoulder. "But Kagome..."

"Don't worry about that. She _does_ want to say good-bye to you." The fox padded his paw into the water, as if seeing how deep it was getting. "So does everyone else," he added quickly.

The half demon sent a skeptical glance. "You'll be back soon, right?"

There was a silent pause as Shippou looked up with those interested green eyes. His brows furrowed. "I'll be back before they leave," he assured.

"Better hurry then." Inuyasha smirked as he walked away in the direction of the field. He heard Shippou scurry away behind him into the denseness of the forest. He was alone in the great profoundness of the trees.

The smell of rain and leaves fell around him as the breeze began to pick up. He winced. It had only been a day since he had been outside and yet he felt infinitely weaker. And worst of all, his ears were getting cold. He marched forward barefoot, continuing through the thicket of trees, twigs snapping underneath his feet. He progressed this way for a few minutes until an upcoming line of trees seemed brighter than the others. Moving quickly through the foliage, he burst through, landing once more in the soft green of grass.

The sky had opened above him, and the field ahead of him stretched on for miles. It rolled and rolled into the distance, pure and green, never seeming to end. There was a single patch of flowers near the trees, but the pasture flowed out for days, luscious and green, disappearing into the rising sun. Inuyasha stopped and gasped at this wonderful sight. The rolling hills had seemed to have stolen all his breath away, and he longed suddenly for one thing: he wanted to run as far as he could into those endless green plains, and disappear in the looming, orange sun.

The small whistle of wind and the bite of a morning breeze at his elbows tore him from his reverie. He glanced to his right, his ears perked and listening for any signs of life. Nestled amongst some soft tree branches and the falling leaves was the wooden, spacious caravan he remembered walking with days before. A stir of anxiety went through the hanyou, the crease at his mouth growing strained.

The last time he had seen it, it had been tipped over and robbed of one its wheels on the side of the road, while he and his friends had fought for its safety. The desolate looking vehicle had somehow been put right side up, found a replacement wheel, and made it all the way to the wolf caves. The wood was damaged, and looked as if Sango had spent the latter part of the night getting it to be stable. The demonslayer was good with her hands, and it looked as if it would survive the trip.

Near the back, fumbling with a variety of jars, the woman in the pink kimono bent lightly into the grass and placed things calmly on the back end of the caravan. The purple robed monk, Miroku, suddenly came into view from the inside. He would take the things Sango set down, and set them neatly amongst the rest of the load. Inuyasha took a few tentative steps forward, not seeing Trivolio anywhere in sight, but he quickly made himself known. Sitting right in the front, as if feeling impatient, the blond haired man from the west sat with the reigns in his hands, a blank stare encapsulating his features. Aran and Erufn were probably inside, helping Miroku organize. Kagome was the only one in the clearing unspoken for.

There was a flicker of sound and movement, as Inuyasha looked into the depths of the trees. From a lighter section of the forest, the young priestess suddenly appeared, stepping quietly and with a sway in her hips. A color like excitement or bemusement colored her cheeks, and she looked about with a mild curiosity over the rain streaked plants. It was only after she leaned over to lightly touch the underside of a green plant, that she turned her head his way. There was a moment of recognition, as all the polite curiosities dissolved away, and her hair brushed against her face like a lover's caress. She took a step, gaining speed as a genuine smile took the place of the tight lips she held moments ago. Inuyasha mentally held his breath.

As she got closer, her smile turned into a confused expression, followed by an urgent sympathy as she raised a hand towards his head. As soon as she was within reach, he took her by the wrist, stopping her pressing need to touch his bandage.

She quailed with empathy. "Inuyasha, what happened?" Her breath was hurried and concerned, but her hand remained within his, showing her assent to restrain herself.

He let go, tossing her hand to the side. "It was nothing, I just woke up wrong," he explained, an angry undertone pressing through his teeth.

Kagome examined the injury from afar, bending to the right in order to see it clearly. She placed her hands behind her back, as an innocent gesture. "Are you ok? That's no scratch you've got you know."

"Yes," he breathed calmly, exuding an air of patience. He looked down at her skeptically. "Shippou helped with the bandage, and the blood loss wasn't serious. I've been through worse."

"I'd hate to have another thing to worry about. This trip is already looking pretty bleak."

"Tell me about it." The hanyou sniffed, showing disdain with a blatant tone. The young girl looked over understandingly, her eyes full of regret.

"Inuyasha, I'm sorry you can't come along. Truly." Her hands moved one another, her nervous tick that followed her across the years. The morning seemed to brighten around them, while Kagome turned around swiftly and leaned against a tree. Her uniform was cleaner in the light, but the rain continued to darken its colors. She shook her head slowly, sadly. "I'd stay with you, if I could."

The hanyou raised an eyebrow with interest. "And what's keeping you on the caravan?"

Her eyes seemed reflecting for a moment, glassy and thoughtful. He guessed she might have been thinking over their predicament more than he had in the past few hours. "Numbers of things. The caravan needs protection, you know? Without you tagging along, we need all the muscle we can get."

Inuyasha tried to think of a way to voice that he was fine, but nothing seemed to put itself into words better than he had already explained. The small girl seemed intent on keeping him here. He couldn't make himself angry over this, knowing she only cared about his safety.

The half-demon let out a sigh, eyes low to the ground. "You're sure? There's nothing… I can say, is there...?"

She turned with a desolate expression, her eyes melting from guilt. She searched his features for a moment, her hands locked neatly in front of her. "No, I'm afraid not," she whispered. Her fingers moved dimly over each other, ghosts of a nervous thought, a silent anxiety. "You would do the same for me, wouldn't you?

There was a moment of thought to this. If Kagome had been poisoned in his stead and refused to rest, would he make her stay anyway? Would he make her stay, regardless of temporary discomfort for her overall safety? Would he do the same for any of his teammates? The answer at that moment seemed obvious. It didn't make him any happier about it though.

He turned a soft expression to the sun, hiding his face from her scrutinizing gaze. There was a passing moment where he wondered if she noticed his smirk. "Go on then," he replied, knocking his hands away from him in a dismissive manner. He felt only a bit lighter inside. "I'll take care of myself. Sooner you leave, sooner you can come back and we'll be rid of these stinking wolf caves!"

There was a light smile that pressed at her for a moment, before a yell came from the caravan. "Kagome!" Miroku held a hand at first to get her attention, then waved her over with a half-expectant grin. They ventured over together, passively aware this would be where they said goodbye.

Inuyasha tensed for a moment, then spun around, only to find Shippou bounding towards them. The fox managed to spring into the air, rotate once, and land on the back of the caravan with a slight, but impressive thump. Inuyasha glanced suspiciously towards the kitsune, wondering what had captivated his time, but the probing green eyes drove him from asking any questions. Sango and Miroku did not say anything to him, only giving him a hug, before loading into the caravan. Slowly, Shippou and Kagome followed suit, only returning apologetic glances, before he could no longer see them. As the caravan gained speed, and drifted towards the green hills, Kagome pressed herself lightly out the back.

With a hand around her mouth, she yelled loud enough for him to hear. "Three days!"

He watched the caravan for a few more moments before turning back, knowing that in the endless fields, it would be a while before they were out of sight. The return to his cave was quick but monotonous, as he now had a good idea of which direction to go in, but he now felt as if he had no purpose for the rest of his day. What was he supposed to do? He could not explore much, or hunt for jewel shards on his own. The poison that still ebbed in his blood insisted he never be mobile. This only frustrated him more, but he would try and be patient. He would sleep these days away, if need be.

He arrived at the cave meant to be his temporary home, facing the mouth of the entrance expressionless. Sunlight now flickered from above, and he absently noted that it had stopped raining. While water remained on the trees and ground, the sun now showed brilliantly in the blue, morning sky. Despite the change in weather, he felt little desire to be outside. There was a brush of movement from behind, slight but graceful. He made no move to turn around, already knowing who was waiting there.

"Kouga," he breathed, fixed into place. The name fell off his tongue easier than it had months ago. Even now it seemed to have a friendlier ring to it, but the wolf behind him seemed to be wary of something. He raised an eyebrow in unvoiced confusion.

There was a shuffle, as if the weight had been shifted from one of the wolf's legs, to the other. It was a gentle sound, as the wolf had more slender, but stronger legs then he. "They already left?" The words sounded like a question, but he knew the wolf must have seen them drive away. Was it simple politeness that brought this question?

Inuyasha turned around fully, towards the direction of the voice. The blue eyes suddenly met his from across the grove, concentrated, waiting for an answer. It struck him that while he should have been coming up with an answer, the only thought that arose continually was that this was the first time he had addressed Kouga alone for months. The blue, perplexed eyes stared back purposefully, as if assuring it was alright to speak.

Inuyasha found the words, brushing his hakama lightly with his fingertips. "Yeah, I'm surprised you didn't see Kagome off." There was no malice tipped on these words as was usual, which Kouga noted with a slight tilt of the head.

"I didn't see much point. She'll be back before the week is over anyways." Kouga seemed to speak of the departure with little interest, his head still tipped with that slight curiosity in his features. The slightly upturned eyebrows, the firm set of lips that tucked down in a mildly appeasing way.

The half-demon drew a breath, but didn't answer. Kouga still gazed with that unsure, tentatively concerned look.

Concern. Why did this idea make the hanyou inwardly smile?

Inuyasha dipped his head, refusing to meet the gaze of the curious demon ahead of him. "Right," he affirmed, still facing away. A wind rustled between them, and the trees whistled with a beautiful sound. Kouga's expression rapidly changed to something that resembled surprise.

He reached with a weak finger, as if he was respecting the distance between them, but still took a step forward, his eyes wider. "Your head…" he managed slowly, a grimace flittering like a shadow across his face.

Inuyasha tried to feign being nonchalant about the injury, glancing tiredly to the injury. "Oh, yeah," he began, his arm lifted slightly to cradle the bandage. Embarrassment snuck briefly into his blush, but he forced it down. "I hit my head this morning. On the cave wall."

Kouga raised a speculative eyebrow. He didn't pursue it too far. "You ok?"

"Yeah," the hanyou waved quickly, "It was nothing."

The wolf brought a fist to his mouth, but let out a hearty chuckle, his eyes glittery. "Kagome's right, I really do have to keep an eye on you."

"Hardly," Inuyasha responded brusquely. "She'll only be gone three days."

"Three days, is that all?"

Inuyasha smirked to this, impressed. Kouga was usually known for his brevity. The fact he was putting forth conversation stirred a sense of intrigue inside him. "Well, I'll bet it's gonna feel months longer, if that makes you feel better."

Kouga, with furrowed brows shook his head at this, unamused. "You think I want to hear you sniffling about how bored you are? I'm not here to listen to you suffer."

"Well I'm poisoned aren't I? I'm not exactly leading a parade."

"Quit the whining," the wolf barked, slightly irritated. He stroked his ponytail, in mock frustration, walking a step closer. "This is exactly the type attitude I don't want hear the next few days.

The half-demon huffed for a moment before turning his back, flustered. "Go to hell, Kouga."

The wolf sped up a few steps, retorting, "Hey, lighten up Inuyasha!" He reached forward. "If you're gonna stay, you might as well-"

There was a moment of complete stillness as Inuyasha processed what had occurred. Kouga had reached forward, trying to grab the half-demon by the elbow, while Inuyasha had suddenly whipped around to tell Kouga off. The suddenly flurry of movement had caused Kouga to awkwardly grab the half demon by the hand, an action that under any circumstance should have felt like a violation. It _was _a violation. But there was only one word that seemed to bubble to the surface in the few instants that followed.

_Warm. _

There was a second as they looked down at their connecting hands, before they automatically returned gazes. The blue eyes seemed questioning, fierce. He too hadn't realized what happened yet, but his gaze was powerful, frightened and honest all at the same time. The intensity of their moment, where there was nothing but blue and gold together, could have blown the boy through continents.

Inuyasha wrenched his hand away, with a sudden, tangible urgency. "Don't touch me again, you mangy wolf!"

Kouga's temper flared, ready to lash out, but he hesitated, the seething anger lightly restrained. Inuyasha felt puzzled as the wolf remained quiet for several moments only to see his expression soften. He sent a quizzical look in the demons direction, yet there was no response.

The wolf let out a deep sigh. Inuyasha found it strangely comforting.

The wolf turned to the side, holding his hands at his hips. His breathing was a bit ragged from anger, and Inuyasha nearly felt sorry for giving him extra grief. Kouga was already forced to keep an eye on Inuyasha as a favor. The last thing he needed was to be put down for his attempts at kindness. As the half demon thought further on the subject, he knew Kouga was probably busy enough with handling the wolf dens and being a leader. If there was one thing Inuyasha hated, it was catching himself in a petty act.

The silver haired boy, took a small breath as a comfort, then braced himself. "Kouga, I—"

"Naah," he was immediately rebuked. "Forget it."

Inuyasha felt the need for an apology was still in the air, but his pride would not easily bend. He bit his lip, and cursed himself inwardly twice. He bent his head low, to the side. "S—… Sorry…"

Kouga turned immediately, his black hair vibrant in the bright sunlight, his pelt slightly teased by the wind. His eyes were suddenly filled with a look that reminded of him of remorse. His lips moved slowly. "What?"

The small hanyou kept his eyes averted, the gold glinting with indecision. "I…don't wanna repeat it."

The blue eyed boy shook his head, pressing. "No, I meant, I don't understand." A half step closer, head with that curious tilt. "Why are you sorry?"

"The…" his lips failed for a moment. His eyes pulled up before he could stop them. Kouga's expression was something of misunderstanding. The anger had all but dissipated. Inuyasha made a small gesture with the fingers. "…when our hands…"

Kouga elicited a look of surprise, before nodding in understanding. His tan arms folded over on themselves, forming a sort of tenseness to this entire stature. "You shouldn't," he spoke. He paused, facing the ground, his eyebrows furrowed. "You shouldn't be sorry for that."

Inuyasha glanced up. Confusion rang in his ears. "What?"

The wolf was silent for a few moments, before lightly looking up, and responding with a wolfish smile. "It was an accident," he amended, quickly putting up both hands, as if innocent. "It happens."

"I yelled at you." Inuyasha stated.

"And I yell at you too," Kouga responded, squashing the argument.

"I made you angry." The hanyou pressed.

Kouga waved off the words, as if they were flies in the air. "By-gones." The wolf turned a degree back toward the hanyou, a rugged smile in place. "It's gonna be lunch time soon. There's a creek not far from here."

Inuyasha seemed to understand where this was going. "Yeah, I'm a bit hungry. And it's not as if I have anything else to do."

Kouga seemed to mull this over for a moment before taking a soft step further into the sun. He spoke over his shoulder. "Well, if you're really gonna have nothing to do the next few days, you could spend some of the time with me. I can show you what we wolves do for fun."

The invitation hung in the air, and Inuyasha realized Kouga was going out on limb to accommodate him. Was this solely because he didn't want Inuyasha whining? Or still as a favor to Kagome? It didn't really matter he decided.

Inuyasha stepped further into the sunlight as well. "Sure, I'd like to see if the wolves have a good sense of adventure."

"If you can stand being with me for three days," Kouga said with a toothy grin.

Inuyasha took a moment to chuckle to himself. The blue eyed boy noticed this too, and his grin seemed to expand just a bit wider. The hanyou looked around at the beautiful day he still had left to spend, then at the boy he would be seeing the next few days.

He smiled slightly in the wind. "Let's start with just one day."

A/n

Mmm, tell me what you think? Future chapters will be varying in length. They will probably be around this length, but I feel as if I want to fit more in. I sometimes take a long time to write, so feel free to help me out with that! Thoughts? Anyways, please review!


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